Eyes of Iris
by alirodina
Summary: the chunin exams are over. but one boy walks the streets of the hidden leaf village in a daze. guess who the narrator is!


Naruto- Eyes of Iris

Author's Note: This isn't mine. Anyway, this is an experiment to see how long it will take me to reveal the narrator's name. v enjoy...... I hope.

His steps were slow, outwardly deliberate. He was always so languid about his movements. Never hurried, but always graceful. Deadly. And so he walked around the village now, eyes straight ahead, seemingly intent. Where was he going? What was waiting for him? Who was waiting for him?

The thought almost made him smile. Who was he to care really? But the lull after the wars always leaves a strange bereftness... a strange feeling of being incomplete. Nothing was left for him to live for. He was at peace. At last, after so long, that rage inside him that was the only reason he plodded on day after day, never really knowing when he will die, that rage had died. Leaving nothing but cold ashes, dirty ashes, like a fire that used to warm his heart.

He was a better person for that really. And yet, he now had no reason to continue to exist. There were no dreams. So unlike that Uzumaki kid. No need to prove himself. He was already there. It was so unfair really. Him being so good and yet possessor of nonexistent dreams. While Uzumaki... he sighed. Naruto had a lot of reason to live. But he had nothing.

Nothing at all.

He reached the bridge without being aware of it. His eyes were indeed open, but their senses were shut; as the old woman from Macbeth said. Should he stop for a while? There was a lot of time really. He had all the time in the world. Maybe.

There was a tall tree by the foot of said arching bridge, providing an inviting shade from the noonday glare of the sun. he went on, placing his hand on the wooden surface, painted in crackling red paint.

There was a figure huddled by one of the small posts.

"Hinata san."he said. He approached her slowly, so that she could send him away if she wanted to.

She didn't. he had no choice but to approach her.

She was looking at him blankly as he squatted in front of her, tilting his head to one side inquisitively. "What are you doing here? It's so warm. And it won't be long until the sun shines overhead..." his voice trailed away. Why did he say that?

"I was" she blushed. Her voice so low he had to lean across to hear her. "waiting for Naruto kun."

He frowned. "He'd be eating his beloved ramen by now. Why bother, Hinata san?"he said coldly. It wasn't that he hated Uzumaki. He just saw no reason for anyone to wait for that kid in this sweltering heat on a bridge.

"I'd really like to see him."she said, blushing more. She was probably asking herself why she was saying all of this to him, of all people. "You know, I'd be happy to make him lunch everyday..."

"You'd be happy to be his slave."he added, smiling now. She looked surprised at that and started blushing again. "I don't see what you saw in him Hinata san."

She dipped her head shyly when he said her name. she had always been so shy. Even when she was little, she used to hide behind her father's legs, staring at people bashfully with those pale iris eyes of hers. Hinata. Always hiding behind something.

"You don't really know him that's why."

Bold words said in such a shy voice. He sighed. "Maybe not. You'd never know would you? I fought him and beside him. But I may never know."

He should go really. But where to? The question reechoed in his mind painfully. He would stay. He had all the time in the world.

Maybe.

She was smiling. "It takes knowing him- to like him you see."

The sun was now directly overhead, erasing traces of their shadows cruelly. He was hungry. She was too, probably.

He stood up. "Let's eat, Hinata san."

She looked away, towards the direction he supposed Naruto would come from. "I don't know."

"You're hungry and it's warm here."he put in. "Come on, Hinata san. You can meet Uzumaki any other day." He held out his hand for her.

She smiled, suddenly, almost boldly. "Okay, I will."

He held her hand a second longer after he had pulled her up. She was still smiling at him. "Where to?"he asked.

"I want something sweet to eat, don't you?"

They walked down the bridge the way he came, while he looked at the horizon, senses open as well as his eyes. Both his questions hab been answered.

Author's note: I'm new here so please be easy on me!!!!!!!!!!! Wah!


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